University of Idaho safety Shiloh Keo is one of 35 defensive backs nationwide on the Jim Thorpe Award Watch List. The Thorpe Award, named in honor of the legendary Jim Thorpe, recognizes on-field performance, athletic ability and character.

Keo, a defensive captain as sophomore and a special teams captain this fall, is 11th on the Vandals' all-time total tackles list with 293. Last fall, he had the second highest total tackles tally with 113 in the Western Athletic Conference. He led the league in 2009 in solo stops with 72.

A native of Everett, Wash., and a graduate of Archbishop Murphy High School, Keo was injured early in the 2008 season and redshirted the final eight games.

The process to determine the Thorpe Award winner is as follows:

A screening committee of Jim Thorpe Association members follows these players throughout the season, watching games and researching information sources to grade Thorpe Award candidates on the basis of performance on the field, athletic ability and character. The committee meets on the first Monday in November to narrow the field to 10 or 12 semi-finalists.

The committee meets again on the Monday before Thanksgiving to select the three finalists. The names of these finalists are submitted to a national panel of about 50 sports writers, sportscasters, coaches and former players who vote to determine the winner. The three finalists are invited to the ESPN College Football Awards Show, and the winner is announced during the show.

Formal presentation of the Jim Thorpe Award takes place at ceremonies in Oklahoma City on the first Tuesday in February following the national signing date for college football recruits.